Knitted fabric and mode of making same.



KNITTED FABRIC PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

R. W. SCOTT.

KNITTBD FABRIC AND Mom: 0F MAKING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.20.1905.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2,

No. 830,373. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1.006.

R. W. SCOTT.

KNITTBD FABRIC AND MODE OP MAKING SAME.

APPLIUATION FILED SBF120. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'No.asovs. PATBNTED.SEPT.A,190A R.vv.sc0TT.

. KNITTBD FABRIC AND MODE 0F MAKING SAME.

` APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20.1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

R. W. SCOTT. KNITTBD FABRIC AND MODE 0F MAKING SAME.

PPLIOATION FILED SEPT.20. 1905.

PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

R. W. SCOTT.

KNITTED FABRIC AND MODE 0F MAKING SAME.

UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

ROBERT W. SCOTT, OFLEEDS POINT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO LOUIS D. WILLIAMS, OF OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTED FABRIC AND MODE OF MAKING SAME.

ted abrics which are partly ribbed and partly plain, the object of my invention being to produce a machine-knit fabric `of this character, es ecially one of fine gage, in which the change 'om rib-stitch to plain stitch or the ssy ' reverse can--be-readily effected by manipulation of the needles and Awithout stopping the machineor requiring the intervention of an attendant, thefinvention being therefore especially adapted for use inthe manufacture of hosiery upon automatic knitting-machines.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2and 3 are views, on an exaggerated scale, of pieces .of knitted fabric, illustrating the manner in which change from rib-knitting t0 plain knitting maybe effected in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 4 isa plan view illustrating the relation to eachother of the needles of the machine and the stitches of the knitted web during the production of ribbed Fig. 5 is a similar viewillustrating the relation of the needles and stitches at the beginning of the transferring operation inl accordance with my invention. Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the relation of the 'needles during the operation of knitting ribbed web. Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views illustrating the movements of the needles in 'effecting the transfer of a stitch from one needleto another.

Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view of the needle-dial jacks and of the cams for acting upon the same. 12 are views similar to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but illustrating a fabric in which a change from plain web to ribbed web has been effected; and Fig. 13 is a view of a cylinder-needle such as maybe used in knitting the latter fabric. l

In Figs; 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, m represents the wales of one face of the ribbed fabric, and n represents the Wales of the other face of-the same, the wales m and n being p those of the plain-knitted fabric, m being a continuation of the standing wales lm, which ap ear in both the plain and ribbed web, and n eing a continuation of and substitute for the rib-wales n.

Specification of Letters Patent. l

Application filed September 20.' 1905. Serial No. 279,304-

Figs. 10, 11, and

Patented sept. 4, 190e.

In the fabric shown in Fig. 1` some of the stitches of the first course a of plain web engage with stitches of the last course b of ribbed web, and other stitches of said first course a of the plain web engage with ribstitches of the course cl preceding the last. In the fabric shown in Fig. 2 some of the stitches of the first course a of plain web engage with stitches of the last course b of ribbed web and others with stitches of the last course b of such ribbed web and with stitches of the course c preceding the same. In the fabric shown in Fig. 3 the stitches of the first course a of plain web all engage with stitches of the last course b of ribbed web. V

In carrying out my invention I use a machine having cylinder and dial, the cylinder being provided with standing Wale-needles which are operative both in producing ribbed web and in producing plainweb, these nee. dles alternating with needles w, which are not in operation when ribbed web is being knitted, but which receive stitches from the dialneedles y in changing from ribbed web to plain web. Such machine forms thel subject of m application for patent, Serial No. 288,911, filed November 24, 1905.

Various means may be adopted for so operating the dial-needles that' they can be caused to transfer their stitches to the ribsupplanting cylinder-needles atl the proper time, In present invention being independent of t e specific means employed for this purpose. In Figs. 6 to 8, however, I have illustrated devices which are available for the purpose and which will be sufficient to suggest to those skilled vin the art other means for accomplishing the desired result. In connection with the cylinder 15 'and dial 16 of the machine I employdial-needles y, carried byV swinging jacks 19, so that they may work,in the grooves of the dial or may be carried out beyond their normal or knitting position, depending upon whether they are operated by the normal cams 20 20 of the cam-plate 21 or by special cams 22 22a of the same. When the dial-needles y are abnormally projected, their buttsor stems will draw stitches of the ribbed web over the retracted rib-supplanting cylinder-needles w, and the latter can then be projected so as to enter and engage said stitches.

Fig. 6 shows the standing Wale-needles a: of the cylinder and the dial-needles y in the op-l erative positions assumed by them during IOO rib-knitting, the rib-supplanting needles 'w being retracted, and Fig. 7 shows a dial-needle y projected so that its butt or stem draws out the rib-stitch carried thereby and pulls the rib-stitch preceding the same into such a position above the cylinder' that when the cylinder-needle w is projected, as shown in said figure, it Will enter and engage said preceding stitch. If now the cylinder-needle w is retracted again, as shown in Fig. S, it will draw down the stitch which it has engaged and will permit the dial-needle y to be retracted over its hooked end, so that said dialneedle canv cast the stitch which it carried. If the stitch thus cast by the dial-needle can slip over the top of the needle w, the result when the knitting of plain web upon all of the cylinder-needles is proceeded with will be that shown in Fig. 1, the stitches which were cast from the dial-needles pulling into the adjoining standing wales and the yarn being drawn across the engaged stitches. If, however, the stitches cast from the dialneedles are caught by the cylinder-needles w, either when they are cast off or when the needles w Ysubsequently rise7 as at the knitting-point,

both stitches will be delivered by the needles w when the first course of plain web is knit-- ted, the resulting fabric being as shown in Fig. 2*.

The fabric shown in F ig. 3 is produced by projecting each cylinder-needle w so that it Will engage the stitch carried by the dial-needle and then retracting the latter While the needle w is still projected, whereby the dialneedle will cast its stitclioiito said needle w. This Will involve the crowding or shogging of the dial-needle into a plane alongside of that occupied by the needle w and also the crowding of the two needles into the same stitch, and hence I do not regard this method of transfer with the same favor as either of the other methods described.

In any method of transferring stitches from a dial-needle to a cylinder-needle, or vice versa, by direct action of the needles themselves it is important that there shall be no partially-projected needle or needlesin advance of the first fully-projected transferneedle, because of the liability of the partially-projected needles to be withdrawn Wit hout having transferred their stitches, which stitches will consequently be cast or dropped.

F'or this reason machines having cams whiich travel in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the needles and also in changing from inoperative to operative position swing or travel in a directionparallel withsuch movement of the needles cannot, especially in fine-gage machines, e'ect a proper transfer ofkstitches, since one or more of the needles must necessarily pass from under the control of the cam during the time that the latter is -nioving from its retracted to its projected position, or vice versa, and these partially-projected needles .will be retracted by the following draw-in cam, so as to cast their stitches. dles from which the stitches are to be transferred should after having been projected't-o.

held out of range of the knitting-'cams in order to prevent any of them from being again projected so as to receive yarn, as any loops of knitting-yarn thus applied thereto would prevent the proper formation of the stitches of plain web upon the other set of needles. In carrying out my invention, therefore, the first fully-projected dial transfer-needle, as shown in Fig. 5,l adjoins a fully-retracted dial-needle, the latter being the last to be acted upon. Hence the transfer always begins at a certain needle ofthe set and ends at the adjoining needle after the stitches have been transferred from the intervening needles, and each rib-Wale must therefore necessarily be transferred to a corresponding plain Wale. Each dial-needle after being projected to the transfer-point 'is then withdrawn to an idle position free from the influence of the knit- 'ting-cams.

jected dial-needle should be the first to be that the transfer always begins on a certain needle and ends on the adjoining needle. This can readily be accomplished by providing some of the jacksl of the needles y with needles w of the cylinder with special high butts, which are acted upon by a cani whose movement into or out of action isl not imparted to the needles. 1

In Fig. 9 I have lshown both the knittingcams 20 20L and the transfer-cams 22 22a in operative relation with the ends of the jacks,

jects the dial-needles and 20a the knittingcam which retracts the same, while 22 represents the projecting transfer-cam and 22a the retracting transfer-cani. I/Vhen the cams 22 and 222t are passing the short or unshaded jacks, they artially depressed or moved act upon the long or shaded jacks; but as soon as the have passed to their full extent behind sai long jacks they can be further depressed, so as to actupon the shortvjacks. It will be noted that the cam 221l delivers the acks outside of the r'angev of the knittingdrawn from action after transferring their stitches they will remain out of action until the cam '22*L is again retracted, whereupon the jacks will be moved by a cam 23 so Yas to again come under the influence ot' the knitis moved out of action as soon as may be after the transferring of the stitches troni the i full series of dial-needles has been effected.

the transfer position and then retracted be In like manner a certain needle" of the cylinder corresponding to the first proprojected to the stitch-receiving point, so 'y longer ends than the others and some of the".

20 representing the knitting-cam which pro-y canis, so that when the dial-needles are withting-cains.- 'lhe projecting transfer-cani 22l It is also import-ant that the neel IOC IIC

' in line longitudinally with the jacks, so as to seams may be nsed in different portions of theweb so, long as the meeting ends of said yarns overlap or provide for a continuous feed of yarnvto the needles of one and the same machine. This serves to distinguish a fabric made in accordance with my invention from one which is` produced by knitting the ribbed web upon one machine and then transferring the stitches ofsaid ribbedlwebto another machine for knitting the plain web, as such ribbed web in that case must necessarily be knitted with yarn disconnected from that employed in knitting the plain web.

My invention in its; broader embodiment is ap licable to the manufacture of fabricin Whic the change is effected from plain knitting to rib-knitting, stitches of plain web in this case bein transferred from the cylinderneedles w to t e dial-needles y instead of the reverse operation, as before described,- the cylinder-needles w having vspecial butts or. projections w to enga'e and pull up the stitches upon the needles and permit the dial-needles to enterthe same or preceding stitches of the web. (See Fig. 13,) In Figs. 10 to 12 I have shown the various forms offabric which may be produced when this mode of operation is resorted to, a in=these views re resenting the last course of plain Wely/b t e first course of ribbed web, and c the course of plain web which precedes the last.' Prior to my inventionl machines have been devised for the purpose of changing from ribknitting to plain :knitting by, transferring stitches from dial-needles of the machine to cylinder-needles of the same; but 'such machines, so far as I am aware, have always required some special means for spreadingthe transferred; loo s and have therefore been impracticable or use in the production of fine-gage web, meaning by this web having more than eight or nine wales to the inc'h, A.

or the machines have not been such that the transfer could be begun at one needle of the dial and finished at the adjacent needle, the result being that certain needles would cast their stitches before thelatter could be transferred, and the machine would not, therefore, effect the transfer of' all of therib-stitches to corresponding plain-stitchwales, or the rcduced 'needles w stitc es of a previouslyformed course of the ribbed web instead of stitches of the last course which still remain upon the needles which produced them I overcome the objection which attends an attem t to transfer a stitch directly `'from one nee le .to another, as I am not oblieged to force two needles orother implements through one stitch, which in a normal fabric is only suiciently large to surround the needleupon which it is formed, and I also avoidl the use of transfer-points or other instrumentalities than the needles themselves in effectvingwthe transfer of the stitches.

invention is not limited to that class offabrics in which each cylinder-needle wale alternates with a dial-needle Wale, as in the fabrich shown, and which is known as a onerib five-and-one rib, lor any other" ofv the' Weil-known ribbed fabrics'.y Itwill also-be understood that although I have described my invention. as applicable to the production of circularwebs '1t can be employed inthe production of flat webs also. Y

ent-

'1'.l A imiaed'fabc Comprising both ribbed Having thus described my invention, I -claim anddesiie to secure by Letters Patand plain webs, some of the stitches of theV first course'of one web meshing with stitches of the last course of the other web and others with stitches of a course preceding the same. 2. Aknitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plainl Webs, some of the 'stitches of the first course of one web meshing with the last course of stitches ofthe other Web, and alternate stitches ofthe first course of the first' web meshing with stitches of a course of the other web preceding lthe last course.

3. A knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain webs, some ofthe stitches of the first course of one web meshing with stitches in the last course of the other web, and oth- IOO IIO

ers with stitches of said last course and of a" l course preceding the same.

4. A knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain webs, certain stitches of the first course of one web meshing with stitches of the last course of the other web, and alter- 'nate stitches ofsaid first course of the firstweb meshing with stitches of said last course and of a course preceding the same.

5. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain webs, some of the stitches of the first course of one web meshing with stitches of the last course of the other web and others with stitches of a course preceding the same.

6. A seamless tubular-lmitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain webs, some of the stitches ofthe first course of one web meshing With the stitches of the last course ofthe other Web, and alternate stitches of the first course of the first Web meshing with stitches of a course of the other web' precedingvthe last course. l

'7. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of one Web meshing with stitches in the last course of the other Web, and others with stitches in said last course and in a course preceding the same.I

8. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric comprising both ribbed. and. plain Webs, certain stitches of the first course, of one web meshing with stitches of the 'last course of the other web, and alternate stitches of said first course of the first Web meshing with stitches in said last course vand in a course preceding the same.

9. A knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain Web meshing with Stitches of the last course' of the ribbed web and others-With stitches of a course preceding the same.

10. A knitted fabric comprising' both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain web meshing With the last course of stitches of the ribbed Web7 and alternate stitches of the first course of the plain web meshing with stitches of a course of the ribbed web preceding the last course.

11. AV knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain web meshing with stitches of the last course in'wales of one face of the ribbed web, and other stitches of said first course ofthe plain Web meshing with stitches of a preceding course in wales of the other face of said ribbed Web; v

12. A knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain web meshing with stitches in the last course of the ribbed Web, and: others With stitches of said last course and of a course preceding the same.

13. A knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, certain stitches of the first course of thevplain Web meshing with stitches of the last course of the ribbed Web, and alternate'stitches of said first course of the plain Web meshing with stitches of said last course and of a course preceding the same.

14. A knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain Web meshing with stitches of the last course in Wales of one face of the ribbed web, and other stitches of vsaid frst course of the plain web meshing With stitches of said last course and of a preceding course in Wales of the other faclJ of the ribbed Web. l*

15. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric com; prising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain web meshing with stitches of the last course of the ribbed'web and others with stitches of a course preceding the same. v

16. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric conrprising both ribbed and plain webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain Web meshing with stitches of the last course of the ribbed W le, and alternate stitches of the first course ftheplain Web meshingr With stitches of a course of the ribbed Web pre-4 l ceding the last course.

17. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stiches ofthe first course of the plain Web meshing with stitches of the last course in Wales of oneface of theribbed web, and other stitches of said first course of the plain Web meshing With stitches of a preceding course in Wales of the' other face of said ribbed Web.

18. Aseamless tubular-knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain Web meshing with stitches in the last course of the ribbed web, and others with stitches in said last course and in a course receding the same.

19.4 A seamless tubularmitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, certain stitches of the first course of the plain web meshing with stitches of the last course of the ribbed Web, and alternate stitches of saidfirst course of the plain Web meshing with stitches in said last course and in a course preceding the same. i

20. A seamless tubular-knitted fabric comprising both ribbed and plain Webs, some of the stitches of the first course of the plain Web meshing With stitches of the last course in Wales of one face of the ribbed web, and other stitches of said first courseof the plain web meshing With stitches in said last course and also in a preceding course in Wales of the other face of the ribbed web.

21. The mode herein described of effecting roo IIO

a change of Web in a machine-.knit fabric,hav

ing standing Wales common to both Webs said inode consisting in drawingJ out stitches of certain Wales so that needles introduced btween the standing Wales can enter stitches preceding those thus drawn out, engaging said preceding stitches by said newly-intro? duced needles, casting the drawn-out stitches from their needles, and then knitting further Web upon the standing Wale-needles and the newly-intro duced needles.

22. ""he mode herein described of effecting a change of Web in a machine-knit fabric, havin g' standing Wales common to vboth Webs said mode consisting in drawing out stitches of certain Wales so that needles introduced between the standing Wales can enter stitches preceding those thus drawn out, engaging y web upon the standin Wale-needles and the newly-introduced need es.

23. The mode herein described of effecting a change from ribbed knitting to plain knitting in a-macliine-knit fabric, having standing wales common to both .webs said Vmode consisting in drawing out stitches of the ribwales so.- that needles introduced between the standing wales vcan enter rib-stitches preceding those last formed, engagin said preceding stitches by said newly-intro need needles, casting the las t-formed rib-stitches from their needles, and then knitting lain web upon the standing Wale-needles andJ the newly-introduced needles.

24. The mode herein described of effecting a .change from ribbed knitting to plain knitting in a machine-knit fabric, having standing wales common to both webs said mode consisting in drawing out stitches of the ribwales so that needles introduced between the standing wales can enter rib-stitches preceding those last formed, engaging said preceding stitches by said newly-introduced needles, casting the last-formed rib-stitches from their 4needles and onto the newly-introduced needles, and then knitting plain web upon the .standing Wale-needles and the newly-intro- 25. The-mode herein described of effecting a change 'of web in a machine-knit fabric, said mode consisting in knitting upon a set of needlesand at the same time, but at another point, transferring stitches from said needles to another set of needles .by projecting the first transferring-needles until a stitch of the web produced thereb is drawn into the path of the receiving-need e, but without clearing the stitch on a needle in advance of said first transferring-needle, continuing such projection of transferring-needles in proper order, advancing inlike manner the recelving-needles to engage the stitches to vbe transferred,

and then casting the stitches from the transferring-needles onto the receivin -needles.

26. `The-inode herein described of effecting a changey bf web in a machine-knit fabric, such mode consisting in first knitting upon two sets of needles to produce a ribbed fabric,

` and at thesame time, but at another point,

transferring stitches from some of the needles to others'by projecting the first transferringneedle until a stitch of the web roduced p thereby is drawn into the path of t e receiving-needle but without clearing the stitch on a needle in advance of said first transferringneedle, continuing such projection of trans-v ferring-needles inproper order, advancing in like manner thereceivinU-neeclles to engage the stitches to be transferred, and then casting the stitches from the transferringneedles onto the receiving-needles.

sets of needles to roduce a ribbed web, and

at the saine time, ut at another oint, transferring stitches from needles o .one 'set to needles of the other set by projecting therst transferrin -needle until a stitch of the web produced t ereby is drawn into the path of the receiving-needle but without clearing the stitch on a needle in advance of said first trans` ferring-needle, continuing such projection of transferring-needles in proper order, advancing in like manner the receiving-needles to engage thestitches tov be transferred, and then casting the stitches' from the transfer-v ring-needles onto the receivin needles 28. The mode herein descried of effecting a change of web in a machine-knit fabric, said Inode consisting in knitting upon one set of needles and upon certain needles of an-v other set to produce a ribbed fabric, and at the Sametime, but at another oint, 1transferring stitches from needles of tfi previously-inactive needles of the second set y'projecting the first transferrin -needle until a stitch of the web produce thereb)7 is e firstsetto drawn into the path of the receiving-needle needles. in proper order, advancing in like y manner the receivin -needlesto engage the stitchesA to be transfrred, and then casting the stitches from the transferring-needles onto the receiving-needles.

29. The mode herein described of effecting IOC a change of web inl a machine-knit fabric, said mode consisting in fully projecting a needle of one set without projecting a neighboring'needle on one side ofit and contlnuing such projection of needles onwardly from the first needle until the full set has beenprof` jected, at the same time and in like manner projecting nedles of another set so that the will, in roper order, enter stitchesjof the we carried y 'the' needles of the first set, which upon the rojeeted needles of said first set, then with 'rawing the latter needles so as to cast the stitches from them, and then knitting further web upon the standing Wale-needles and the newly-introduced needles.'-

30. The mode herein described of effecting a change of web in a machine-knit fabric,

said mode consisting in fully projecting a neel dle ofy one set without projecting a nelghbol'-, ing needleon one side of it and continuingi such pro'ectionof needles onwardly from the first nee le until the full set 'has been proj ected, at the same time and in like-manner projecting. needles of another set so that the will, in roperv order,- enter stitches of the we carried stitches have been formed in advance of 'stitches have been formed in advance of4 those S the needles of the first. set, which io ing in newly-introduced needles and then knitting 5 further web upon the standing Wale-needles andthe newly-introduced needles.

3 1. The Inode herein described of efecting a change from rib-knitting to plain knitting in a machine-knit fabric, said inode consistfully projecting a rib-stitch needle Without projecting the neighboring rib-stitch needle on one side oi' it, and continuingr such rejection of rib stitch needles onwardly om the first until the full set has been pro- 1. 5 jected, at the same time and in like manner projecting needles of the other set7 so that they will7 in proper order, enter rib-stitches lwhich have beenv formed in advance of those upon the projected rib-stitch needles, then 2o withdrawing said rib-stitch needles so as to cast the stitches from them, and then knitting plain web upon the standing' Wale-needles and the newlyintroduced needles.

32. The Inode herein described of' e'fiecting .a change from rib-knitting to plain knitting in a machine-knit fabric7 said mode consisting in fully projecting rib-stitch needles without projecting the neighboring rib-stitch needle on one side of it, and continuing such proj ection of rib-stitch needles onwardly from the iirst until the full set has been projected,

at the same time and in like manner projectl ing needles of thehother set, so that they will, in proper order, enter rib-stitches which have beeni'ormed in advance of those upon the projected rib-stitch needles, then withdrawing' said rib-stitch needles so as to cast the stitches from them and onto the newly-introduced needles, and then knitting plain web upon the standing Wale-needles and 'the newly-introduced needles.

ln testimony whereof I have signed 'my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT W; SCOTT. Witnesses:

WM. E. SHUrn, Jos. H. KLEN. 

